Author: Mr. Sunshine

Happy Monday, everyone!

Another week of the year has ended and we are officially starting the last week of June!

SAY WHAT?!

Literally July 4th is like tomorrow.

I just don’t understand how the time flies by so quickly.

Anyhoo, let’s get down to business.

I sit here writing these words to you from my bed with a throbbing headache that I’m hoping will go away with the glorious entity that we call sleep.

And, to be honest, I have no words..

This week’s post will be short and sweet.

Because Mr. Sunshine is lacking the positive energy and right things to say.

I can’t help but shake the feeling that our Country is moving backwards.

The recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade has me speechless, mad, pissed off, and just angry at the world.

The polarization of political parties is becoming even more evident in our everyday lives.

It is exhausting.

It is draining.

It is discouraging.

The past couple of nights, I have shut my eyes, but can’t shake the feeling that my rights as a member of the LGTBQ+ community are the next to come under fire.

I fear for the future.

And that is the God honest truth. .

This week, I pray that I can find some positive energy to help me lessen the fear that I have for the future .

Sprinkle sunshine always.

JP!

Well, hey there folks!

Happy Monday!

I hope you didn’t miss me too much last week with no new post.

I have taken the last week to recharge, reset, and rejuvenate myself with the entities of Summer, sandals, sunshine, and kindness.

Oh, and yes…

…I do have sunburn.

Shocker I know.

I’m currently in the peeling stage and using gobs of aloe.

And I mean GOBS.

Worth. It.

It is always amazing how a week at the beach does to me.

It’s like the mind is cleared, epiphanies about life are had, and the sun just shines into your soul.

It is a beautiful thing.

When I’m at the beach, everything in life washes away like the seashells taken out by the waves of blue water flowing back to the ocean.

Even without running 50 full marathons this year, it certainly hasn’t slowed my life down at all.

If anything, there are moments when I’m feeling busier.

In fact, there are moments where I wonder how I even did all the running with everything else in my life.

Anyhoo, I digress.

I know I’ve said this before and I apologize to say it again, but I never realize how much I actually need to recharge, rejuvenate, and reset until I’m actually in the moment doing it.

Don’t get me wrong–I have and always will be the person who thrives on the go, go, go lifestyle. Most days and times of the year, I love it. But there is always that one occasional moment when it gets the best of me.

And I shut down.

But this week at the beach has been a very welcome rejuvenating reset that Mr. Sunshine needed.

And through it all including every morsel of sand that touched my feet, I still come charging at you encouraging that kindness is key in this world.

There are just so many ways to display it to others, even strangers.

This week at the beach, I displayed kindness by:

1. Tipping extra to the servers and bartenders that served me.
2. Smiles at the stranger and made conversation with them.
3. Picked up some trash during my run that I saw along the sidewalk.

So, amidst the crazy thing we call life, please find your very own way to rejuvenate, reset, and recharge.

And please, please, please, PLEASE above all else…

BE KIND.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

I’m out of the office, which means come back next week.

And I’m the meantime, please be kind.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Hi folks and happy Monday!

And even though it officially kicked off on June 1st, happy belated Pride Month too!

I am currently outside in the backyard of Sunshine Cottage enjoying a beautiful Summer night under the lights with a wine, Dr. Pepper, and my feet propped on an adirondack chair.

It is in these moments where life just feels perfect.

If only.

It seems with each passing minute, hour, day, week, and month that everything is far from perfect…

…Especially the world.

A few weeks ago, we were delivered news about a mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas.

And that night, the day it happened, I sat on my couch and shed tears.

I shed tears for the innocent lives lost, the families that were affected, and our world.

Gun violence is not something new to our society; however, it certainly seems to have gotten more out of control recently.

For some reason, I can remember back to the time when breaking news came across the TV screen about the Columbine school shooting that happened back in 1999.

And here we are 23 years later, still being delivered news about mass shootings and learning how to navigate the aftermath of the horror.

Far from perfect.

I think what scares me the most is that these types of incidents can happen anywhere and at any time.

And they cause a constant fear to be in the back of my head, which makes me sad.

I know that we are not supposed to live in fear, but gosh darn it, I certainly don’t know how to do it.

Just this past weekend, I got to enjoy a weekend off from both work and church duties and took a trip to Philly with my bestie Devin and his partner Jed to visit our friend Krishna before he moved to Chicago.

It was a quick trip filled with delicious food, rainbows, adult cocktails, lots of laughs, and many memories…

…including me trying to get into the wrong room at the wrong hotel…

Yes, you did read that right.

But I will save that story if you wish to hear it for and in-person discussion because it’s better that way.

A retelling of it is almost and most certainly better with Mr. Sunshine energy, faces, and hand motions than reading it in a text format.

It will def be a part of my comedy routine when I become a stand up comic in my next life and take the material on tour.

Anyhoo, I digress.

Sunday morning, after our fun night out in Philly, I woke up to several texts including from my best friend, Marissa making sure I was okay.

The text said…”Just read about the shooting in Philly…you ok??”

I wasn’t 100% sure what she was referring to, but then saw the headline of the news article our friend Krishna had also sent to Jed, Devin, and I in a group message:

“14 People Shot, 3 Dead, In Mass Shooting On South Street.”

Literally just a few minutes away from where we were partying and having fun dancing the night away hours before.

It could’ve happened to us…

And that scares the living hell out of me.

On the way home, I was so quiet in the car because I literally just kept replaying the fact that it could’ve been us.

And I would be lying to you if I said I wasn’t a little bit scared for the fact that I’m headed to Wildwood beaches next week for a huge Country music festival and all that I can think of is violence and gunfire happening.

I am afraid.

Hug the people in your life just a little bit tighter next time.

Say I love you every chance you get.

And fight for positive change in our world.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

I hope everyone was able to stay cool with the extreme heat Mother Nature threw at us this week.

It was like we went from frost-filled mornings to dog days of Summer with no warning.

Not cool, Mother Nature…not cool.

At least give us some type of grace period.

I’m also currently swiveling back and forth in one of my newest furniture additions to the Sunshine Cottage living room, have my feet propped on the coffee table with fresh air coming through the open windows, and the sound of falling rain is serenading me in the background.

Oh…and…I’m indulging in a mini bottle of Coca-Cola because sometimes it is the perfect carbonated beverage to side-kick on these Summer evenings as described above.

Anyway, I digress.

Shocker, I know.

This past week, our faith community lost a member quite suddenly.

And every time that happens, especially in a small, family church where everybody knows your name, it feels like a part of you and your heart get taken away too.

Mary Alice was someone I had just been greeted by the previous Sunday morning as she walked in the front doors before making her way to the pew close to the front of the sanctuary.

And, one week later, it has all changed forever.

There won’t be any more Sunday morning “hello’s” from Mary Alice.

There won’t be any more cards that wish me a happy birthday or give me a kind note of thanks about my music at St. Paul’s in Mary Alice’s perfectly distinct and polished cursive handwriting.

There won’t be any more spot checks of my fun socks that she always used to do when walking past the piano bench after Communion to give me her smile and thumbs up of approval.

And during the church service on Sunday after being notified that she had passed the night before, I started to cry during the last verse of our special music presentation of “River in Judea.”

The tears took over and as much as I wanted to try and finish out the song, I just couldn’t.

And those tears continued into the prayers portion of the service where I attempted to stumble through, but ultimately had to concede to the tears once again and pass off the remainder of reading to Angie.

And, as if I hadn’t cried enough, the waterworks happened again during the last verse of our closing hymn, “When Peace Like A River” which just so happened to be one of Mary Alice’s favorite hymns. It was always one that she would submit when I would ask congregational members to give me a few of their most beloved tunes.

And, during the last hymn, a beautiful moment happened.

Jelani Seppi–a handicap, black individual who always sits in the front pew started to sing along with the hymn…something he never does.

And even though he sings a bit off key and doesn’t always say the correct words, he was right there—with the rest of the congregation—carrying on for the voice that I didn’t have because I was crying over on the organ bench.

It was beautiful.

It was perfect.

It was a moment meant to be that Mary Alice was definitely smiling down upon as it unfolded.

Life can literally change in an instant.

Our faith community experienced that this week.

And it was that subtle reminder that we should never take anything for granted and that it is both ok and necessary to cry out our emotions.

Hug someone in your life you appreciate just a little bit tighter.

Say “I love you” to your people as much as possible.

Never take the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years we have been given for granted.

I leave you with the last verse lyrics of “When Peace Like A River” in memory of our beloved Mary Alice.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Hi all!

Well, here we are.

THE HEAT OF SUMMER.

Well…at least that is what it felt like these last couple of days.

I’m convinced that Mother Nature just can’t make up her mind.

If it isn’t frosty, cold temperatures that are happening, it is hot, humid conditions occurring.

Like I can’t have hot cocoa and a frozen slushie in my hand at the same time, Mother Nature!

Get. It. Together.

Like, what season are we in?

I can honestly say that I’ve forgotten.

Can any of you enlighten me?

Kthanks.

Spring.

Got it.

Onward and upward.

Well, here we go.

Another Monday, another post.

Below are just a few of the headlines that I pulled from the news in the past week.

“At least 1 dead and 4 critically wounded in shooting at California church”

“10 dead in mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket.”

“At least 2 dead multiple people injured in shooting at a Texas flea market.”

“3 shot outside Milwaukee Bucks game. Two hours later, 17 others are shot a few blocks away.”

Pretty heavy stuff.

It makes it hard to try and find the positive on some days.

Even for the person nicknamed Mr. Sunshine.

Well, let’s shift our perspective quickly to something else for a moment.

Let’s look at the definition of simple.

There are three definitions that come up for this word.

It is defined as:

-Easy to understand, deal with, use, etc: a simple matter; simple tools.

-Not elaborate or artificial; plain: a simple style.

-Not ornate or luxurious; unadorned.

This week, among all the negative news that has been happening around our world, I have been able to find some extreme joy in SIMPLE things.

Here are just a few of those things:

1. The conversations about every topic known to man with my co-workers that I have had the pleasure of working with in-person at the office at Webstaurantstore.
2. The individual who I was matched with two weeks ago when I clicked ‘subscribe’ to Match.com. I’m happy to report that I’m still messaging with that same individual after two weeks with many simple joys throughout the communication.
3. The woman at the theater who had a walker that I met at the end of the show to make sure was all set who said to me, “Thank you so much for taking care of us.”
4. The woman at church who walked up to me during the Communion music to mention how much she enjoyed the music and that she got weepy listening.
5. The magnificent sunsets that have caressed the Lancaster sky.
6. Enjoying some breakfast (made by roomie) along with watching the Our Great National Park series on Netflix that is narrated by Barack Obama.
7. Blowing bubbles with my niece Mackenzie outside in the sunshine on family dinner night.
8. The smiles of approximately 82 middle school and high school students who traveled from a school in New York to see the Ephrata Performing Arts Center’s production of A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder. Their faces and reactions were ecstatic amazement that just made my heart soar.

I urge all of you to find the simple joys in life as we continue to try and navigate the world around us that continues to throw crazy negativity our way.

Be kind to others.

Always lead with love.

And please do not forget to relish in the simple joys.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

It is currently 7:28pm on Mother’s Day Sunday evening and I’m sitting on the floor of the carpeted church office typing these words for you as the setting sun shines in from the windows while tunes of Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, and Broadway tunes plays quietly in the background.

Oh…and yes, there is a strategically placed cup of coffee in my more self love mug sitting beside me close enough to smell the aroma of French Roast while the hot beverage cools down just a bit before enjoying, but not close enough in case I have an arm spasm and decide to accidentally swing the arm unexpectedly…

…That actually did happen this week at work. My arm went flailing in classic JP fashion, hit the paper cup of coffee, and SPLASH! All over the desk, carpeted floor, and backpack of personal belongings.

Not going to lie–despite the stains on the backpack (until I throw it in the washer this week), I don’t mind the coffee aroma that it is exuding.

Maybe I’ll create a scratch and sniff coffee backpack, present my idea on Shark Tank and become the next world’s entrepreneur billionaire!

Anyhoo…I digress.

Any guesses on what the theme of this week’s blog post might be based off the title?

No…it isn’t about how much I love Domino’s pizza.

But I do LOVE Domino’s pizza even if people say it isn’t “real” pizza.

But that is another story for another day…another blog post for another week so to speak.

Saturday, April 30th, I did something while I was sitting in the lobby of the Ephrata Performing Arts Center that I have not done in a decade.

I joined a dating website.

I hit the subscribe button on Match.com–something I have not completed since 2012.

It was a feeling mixture of anxiety and happiness.

And within 10 minutes, I was matched with an individual.

It seemed to good to be true–almost like Match.com toying with my emotions since I had been using the free version for a few weeks, but the minute I gave my credit card to pay, it was like…BOOM…here is your Match!

And of course, with these dating apps, you are asked to complete a number of questions that show off your personality and allow for others to really understand and see who you are through the facet of social media pictures and words.

But I tried my best to answer the questions to convey the Mr. Sunshine persona for the individuals that would be viewing my profile.

And while talking this weekend to a wonderful coworker and colleague of mine, I was reminded that I need to stop being afraid to be unapologetically myself.

I need to not dim my light for anyone or anything because I, too, Mr. Sunshine have needs and wants, especially in the realm of relationships.

Thinking about this sentiment, I quickly realized that writing my profile and having communication with individuals is going to an excellent challenge for me to be unapologetically myself.

What are some things that make me unapologetically myself? What makes me unapologetically Mr. Sunshine?

Well, read on for just a sampling of bullet points!

-I worry about everything.

-I like to The Golden Grils constantly and don’t care that I’ve seen the episodes hundreds of times.

– I like to eat frozen tv dinners sometimes because they are convenient and don’t require much clean up.

-I like to order Dominos pizza and eat the entire pizza by myself.

-I like to sleep on top of my bed wrapped in a blanket.

-I like to put mayo…on everything. Literally everything–bread, salmon, bagels…everything.

-I like Disney movies and romantic comedies.

-I like to listen to Katy Perry’s Firework on repeat…constantly.

-I love legs.

-I love to eat ice cream out of the carton.

-I still get scared during thunderstorms.

-I still very much like to take naps.

-Chewing with your mouth open is a big pet peeve of mine.

-The cereal aisle at the grocery store is incredibly overwhelming.

-I like hot fudge sundaes from Dairy Queen.

-I don’t separate wash–I put everything in all at once.

-I love the beach and getting a tan from the sun.

-Pull ups are still one of my least favorite exercises to do at the gym.

-I enjoy naps.

-I like the sound of rain.

-I like to have a good cry every once in awhile.

These are just a few of the qualities that make me unapologetically myself.

Take me or leave me.

I am Mr. Sunshine…hear me roar!

The communication with this particular individual on Match has been quite positive; however, I will admit that it is still taking me time to get used to it since it has been so long. But on the flipside, there is a flutter and special giddy feeling inside myself as I wait to be notified of the next message they send me.

But it is a good lesson for me to be myself with someone, to be vulnerable, to wear my heart on my sleeve…and be unapologetically myself without any regrets.

To be unapologetically myself without dimming my light.

Dim the light for no one in life!

Be. You.

Be unapologetically yourself with the people around you.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

Another week is officially in the books. Can you believe that we are already into May??

The time is seriously just going way too fast.

Anyhoo, let’s get down to business.

It is currently 6:30pm on a Sunday night, which means that it is the ideal and prime time for me to be writing the words that you are currently reading.

And as I sit here writing this week’s post, I’m currently looking outside the windows at the sun shining on the grounds of wet grass because of the torrential downpour that happened a few moments ago whilst wrapped in a blanket on the couch of my parents’ house while I dog sit for Ginger. And in the distance, I hear some slightly calm cracks of thunder in the distance.

And as the candle on the table by the front bay window burns its scent of blue spruce and The Golden Girls play in the background, I think to myself that even in the world of Mr. Sunshine, there are moments that bring a few rumbles of thunder and clouds.

Anyone else have these moments of rumbles in their life?

As we continue to live in a world that is still trying to navigate the aftermath of a global pandemic, I can’t help but think that there is one word that has decided to creep into all of our lives as we grasp with the fact and reality that our world is a scary place.

And that word that I’m talking about is this: anxiety.

That’s right.

Anxiety.

What is anxiety?

We could go around and ask everyone in our lives what they feel the definition of this word is and we could come back with 100 different definitions.

According to Dictionary.com, the word anxiety is defined as the following:

1. Distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune
2. Earnest but tense desire; eagerness
3. A state of apprehension and psychic tension occurring in some forms of mental disorder

Anxiety.

According to the ADAA (Anxiety and Depression Association of America), here are a few quick facts and statistics about anxiety:

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.
• Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.
• Anxiety disorders develop from a complex set of risk factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.

As someone who has been given the nickname of Mr. Sunshine (that I continue to wear proudly), I tend to believe that people around me think that the actions and word of anxiety are not something that I experience.

And, let me tell you folks, anxiety is real even in the life of Mr. Sunshine.

The year is 2022 and I have a stronger conviction and passion now more than ever to make sure that we are taking time in our lives to talk about this very word.

It is a real thing.

And it is a real thing that real people around us are experiencing.

And it is something that Mr. Sunshine has experienced, even more so in the past couple of months. I recently found myself being nominated to take on the role of Church Council President, which is a position that doesn’t sound like it would be difficult but involves some very intense back-end work involving difficult decisions that affect the livelihood of a church faith community that feels like home to me.

And the past month and weeks have proved to me that it is not always easy and that there are difficult moments to come which involve conversations that no one likes to have and also trying to get others to buy in to the decision that you feel is best for the longevity of the faith community.

It’s a lot. And will continue to be a lot for me in the coming months.

And top this off with other daily stressors of work, customer interactions, and just whatever other world crapola happens to be occurring around us.

Anxiety is a real thing.

And it is a real thing that can cause even more serious issues if it is not talked about.

So, how does one deal with anxiety, especially when they are nicknamed Mr. Sunshine?

Well, here are my personal tips and tricks.

1. Make sure to set aside time during each day to do something that brings you joy. This can be anything. For me, one of those things is running. It is a time where I get to release toxins, decompress, and clear my mind.
2. Start a journal. Being vulnerable and writing out our thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper can be an exercise of such great therapeutic relief. Try it.
3. Take time to laugh every single day. Laughter is the best medicine. It can relax us, reduce our stress, and even boost our immune system.
4. Use the support system of friends and family when you need some extra love, support, guidance, or encouragement. Reach out when needed and don’t be embarrassed if you are struggling. And, if you need to seek professional help for additional support, so be it. There is nothing wrong with that and the people that think it is a problem are wrong.
5. Talk about it. You will never be able to foster a healthy environment for you (or anyone around you) if you aren’t willing to share and talk about your struggles. Be vulnerable. Be real. Be genuine.

These 5 things are just a few of the biggest entities that help me get through and cope with any anxiety that I might be feeling in life at any given moment.

And while these tips will not work for everyone since we are all created with beautiful, different unique qualities, the most important thing above all to remember is to seek professional help if you are struggling on a deep level.

Anxiety is a real word.

It is a real thing that many of us have experienced, are currently experiencing, or will experience in the future.

It is called being human.

And it’s ok if you are dealing with it.

You are not alone.

Let’s talk about it.

Together.

And let’s say it loud and proud.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday, folks!

Not sure about where you are in the world, but here in Lancaster, PA, we were able to experience some glorious and beautiful sunshine yesterday!

Thank you, Mother Nature.

FINALLY.

But I guess I should bite my tongue because later this week, I feel like I saw that the weather reports are showing those damn higher 40’s and lower 50’s.

I. WANT. THE. SUNSHINE.

Alright, let’s get down to business.

I won’t keep you long this week.

On Thursday, I inked my body.

That’s right.

Believe it.

Mr. Sunshine INKED his body.

It has been something that I’ve wanted to do since 2020, but with all of the life and world events of that year and 2021, it just kind of kept getting pushed back.

But Marissa finally got me to honker down and get it on the books…

…or in my case, the planner.

So, it happened.

HUGE thanks to Cory Fodor at Adorned Tattoos in Ephrata for taking my idea and making it a reality.

A beautiful establishment that was incredibly welcoming, especially for someone who has never gotten a tattoo before.

I mean…I definitely got nervous pee twice before lying down on the table.

The million dollar question…was it painful?!

I mean…I’m not going to say it was a walk in the park, but it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be.

How would I describe it?

I mean…a hot prickly, ballpoint pen vibrating profusely on my skin.

I actually think having my back exposed for almost 1 hour was the worse because I’m always cold…and the air was definitely on.

But the zebra pillow I got to lay on was very nice…except for the feather that were making my nose itch–which I thought would make me sneeze–which would ruin everything Cory was trying to ink on me.

Will I get another one?

Possibly…maybe something Betty White related?

Thank you, Marissa for getting me to finally get the courage to make this happen.

And thank you, Cory for making it perfect.

So, in conclusion…

I did the thing. I have always worn the nickname of Mr. Sunshine proudly. And being has always–and will always be something I strive to embrace on the daily while encouraging others to do the same. The world is really shitty right now. I don’t see that changing anytime soon, but if I can continue to be kind and hope that others will follow in my footsteps to do the same, I’ll consider that a win to do the same, I’ll consider that a win for the world as we strive to keep love alive amongst humanity.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!

Happy Monday and day after Easter, folks!

After what felt like Summer-like weather this past week for a few days, Mother Nature decided to once again give us the ugly entities of cold, rainy temperatures.

BOO.

Like double and triple BOO.

Let’s hope that sunshine and warm weather is right around the corner with those Spring flowers.

Eliminate and elevate.

The last 40 days have been a journey that I was both successful and not successful with—eliminating some elements of my life in order to elevate some elements of my life at the same time.

SUCCESSES:

-Not watching The Golden Girls.

-Not watching Encanto.

-Not eating any candy (minus the three or four M&M’s that were part of raw cookie dough I got from work). My coworkers can attest to how upset I was when I took those couple of bites. I also enjoyed ONE dark chocolate peanut butter egg the night before Easter.

-Not drinking any Dr. Pepper and soda.

-Starting each day with a positive affirmation.

FAILURES:

-Scrolling on social media after 10:30pm…definitely still did that. It can be a toxic habit!

-Reading at least three times a week. I did get a few pages in here and there, but definitely not as much as I wanted.

Just goes to show that wr all have successes and failures.

And we all could benefit from a little eliminating from our lives in order to elevate them.

Today’s post is a reminder of all 40 positive affirmations I used during this journey.

My hope is that you will continue to use them when you need them most or just want to get your day started with that extra jolt of positivity.

1. I am beautiful.

2. I am enough.

3. You can do anything.

4. You are loved.

5. You’re in the right place.

6. Today is going to be a great day.

7. I am unaffected by the judgment of others.

8. I breathe in confidence and exhale fear.

9. I trust in divine timing. The universe always has my back.

10. Love yourself.

11. Let your colors burst.

12. I can go the distance.

13. Trust your heart.

14. I am worthy.

15. I am fierce.

16. I am brave.

17. Anything is possible.

18. Don’t worry about things you can’t control.

19. We are who we are on the inside.

20. Be kind to all kinds.

21. I am me.

22. I am needed.

23. I am joyful.

24. I believe in me.

25. I am valuable.

26. I am passionate.

27. I am whole.

28. Be different.

29. Be unique.

30. I am here.

31. I am courageous.

32. My thoughts matter.

33. I am determined.

34. It is not selfish to do what is best for you.

35. Don’t limit yourself.

36. In a world where you can be anything, be kind.

37. Nothing is impossible; the word itself says I’m possible.

38. Everything is going to be alright.

39. I am resilient.

40. Baby, you’re a firework.

Take time to eliminate and elevate.

Sprinkle sunshine always,

JP!